Wood floors are frequently employed in quality housing and offices. The bare wood may be stained to alter its color, enabling, for example, the use of durable, damage-resistant wood whose natural color would be unsuitable for its surroundings. Stains may be oil-based or water-based. The latter offer numerous advantages such as soap-and-water cleanup, non-flammability, low odor, and minimal environmental impact. Currently, however, water-based wood stains are used primarily for small jobs. They have not been widely adopted in the flooring and large furniture sectors because they tend to exhibit various problems such as lapping, lifting, difficulty in application, and/or inconsistent appearance.
Lapping is a visual defect that occurs when applying stain to a large surface in sections. It results in a darker color in the areas where one stained section overlaps another. Lapping often results from pigment particles interacting strongly with water-based polymers, which themselves interact strongly with the wood surface. Lifting is observed when a stain is either not completely dry, or is water/solvent-sensitive when a topcoat is applied thereover. This results in reduced clarity and loss of adhesion between the stain and the topcoat.
Application difficulty often arises when staining large areas by hand using rags, as is common practice. Existing water-based stains are often “sticky” and require substantial effort in initially applying the stain and wiping excess away. Following application, it is usually found that water-based stains lack the richness and warmth of oil/solvent based stains. This results in an inconsistent appearance that resembles plastic.
Accordingly, there is a need for stains that offer the advantages of a water-based product without the disadvantages noted above.